


Chronicles of a Merry Christmas

by crazy_lion



Category: Demi Lovato - Fandom
Genre: Christmas, Dramatic Past, F/M, Friendship, Love, Mass, Mention of Domestic Violence, Merry Christmas, Presents, Santa Claus - Freeform, church, domestic violence in the past but characters can't and won't forget it, happyness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-11-05 11:50:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17918234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crazy_lion/pseuds/crazy_lion
Summary: Demi, Dianna and Dallas have a dark past behind them. If it's true that Patrick hasn't lived with them for a couple of years, the memory of what he did will never leave. As of now though, Eddie came into their life. He's a man who managed to get all their hopes back up. Demi also has a special friend by her side: Andrew. Will the two kids and their families spend a nice Christmas together?Story written together with my friend Emma, who is not a member of this site.Disclaimer: Through this piece of writing, published without any lucrative aim, I have no intention to give a thruthful representation of this person's nature, nor offend her in any way. It is not only valid for Demi, but also for all the other famous people we actually mentioned.





	Chronicles of a Merry Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> As I previously said, Emma is not registered on this site. We wrote this story in Italian (you can find that version on www.efpfanfic.net on my profile crazy lion) and we translated it. We thought I could post it here. The idea is mine, but Emma wwote some parts, too.

**Chronicles of a Merry Christmas**

 

Demi quietly entered her sister's room. Dallas was sleeping and the little one didn't want to wake her up, but she really needed to ask her something.

"Dallas?" she called with a sweet voice.

The other didn't move, so the little girl gently shook her.

"What do you want, Demi?"

The young girl opened her eyes and stretched herself. She didn't want to be rude. To her, Demi was pretty much the best thing life had given her, but she was so tired! She had spent all Christmas Eve helping her mother making lunch, because even if there weren't going to be that many people, they still had a lot of stuff to do.

"It's nothing, I just wanted to ask you if you think Santa Claus will eat the cookies we left him."

She said so in a low voice, while her little heart beat in her chest in fear of him not coming, not appreciating them, or ... who knew.

Dallas noticed that, and understood her little sister's worry. She herself was almost ten years old, but she didn't want to tell her that the bearded man who came with a sleigh, slid through the chimney and brought presents to good kids didn't exist. It was okay for Demi to believe in him. She had every right to. And deep down, she liked to believe it as well.

"Come here."

The little girl sat on her bed.

"Of course he's going to eat them. I mean, they're chocolate chip ones. Who doesn't love them?"

Demi's face lit up with a beautiful smile, one of those capable of brightening even the darkest of days.

"Really?"

She was the one who had put them in the plate making a little tower.

"Yes! Now run on to bed, princess. Santa Claus comes only when children are sleeping," Dallas whispered, repeating a phrase she had learned and heard from her mother.

Demi felt fearful again. She had been on her best behavior that year. She wanted those toys! She ran to bed and tried to sleep, but couldn't. She kept asking herself how that man could deliver all of those presents in a night. What about the next day? What did he do when he was at home? She even tried to remember the names of the reindeers, but only Rudolph and Blizzard came to her mind.

 

 

 

Andrew had no idea what was going on with him. He didn't believe in Santa Claus anymore, especially ever since his English teacher - that bitch! - had told the class that man didn't exist only three years prior, and all the children had started crying. Their parents tried to tell them it wasn't true, that he had never paid her any visits because she was naughty as a child. Most of them believed it, but Andrew understood that was a lie. He wasn't to be just like Demi, or at least that's what he told himself. They were neighbours, they had known each other forever, and the little girl, most probably because of her young age, could still see and feel all of that Christmas magic he seemed to have lost.

"Andrew?"

Joyce, his mother, entered the room.

"Hi mom! Is the pudding ready yet? I'll take care of it if you want to!"

The boy was really helpful, he often helped around the house, and both Joyce and Frank couldn't be happier about that.

"No, honey. Everything's set for tomorrow. We'll visit Dianna and have a fun day, okay?"

They smiled at each other.

They really looked like each other, since they both had green eyes and brown hair. He was really growing into a beatiful young man, Joyce thought. Not that he wasn't before, but the more he grew up, the more he looked like his father, a tall man, not too slim or fat, with the sweetest gaze. Her son had it too.

"Oh, great! I'll head to sleep then. I'm curious about the presents you bought me, though."

"We bought you?" Joyce asked.

"Come on, mom!"

"No, no." She walked to him and took his hands. "Remember that even if you're growing up, you can still keep a little bit of magic right here." And she pointed to his heart while saying that. "It's okay for it to be like that, Andrew. You don't have to be ashamed about it, nor think it's something stupid, because it isn't. If anyone at school or anywhere else should tell you, don't listen to them. Hey, I believe in Santa Claus myself.”

The boy burst out laughing, with a clear laugh that infected his mother too.

"You're joking, right?"

"No! Why should I be? Dad feels the same, you know." Joyce got serious again. "Really, don't let that magic leave. _Never_."

"I'll try." He was feeling better after that conversation with his mother. He was calmer now. "Are Carlie and dad sleeping?"

"Yes. Dad collapsed on the sofa, but your sister took a little longer. She wanted to stay up to see Santa Claus.”

Right then, mother and son wrapped each other in a sweet hug, then wished each other a good night and Joyce left the room.

Andrew got into bed and fell asleep straight after.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, blissfully unaware during that quiet night, Demi had finally managed to fall asleep. Her sister's words had worked like a charm against her doubts, and now she was sleeping with a smile on her face. At just five years of age, she still believed in all those stories and fairytales kids like her where used to listening to, including the ones about Santa Claus himself. Back in kindergarten, one of the teachers had told her about how nice that old man was to children, and that anyone of them could really see him, just by closing their eyes and focusing hard on that wish. As little as she was naive, she had ended up believing her, but her teacher's plan seemed to have worked way too well, so much so that her parents could only agree. In fact, and only two days before, she had spent all of her time playing in her room, only to spring to her feet at the sight of what she thought was the old man's sleigh, which later turned out to be nothing but a wandering bird with feathers white as the snow that had fallen covering the garden outside. Los Angeles winter never really brought it along, but just by looking through the kitchen's window, Dianna stayed quiet, and keeping her thoughts in the back of her mind, she told herself luck must have been on their side that year. Slowly but surely, time kept ticking by, and as morning came, Demi was the first to wake up. As fast as lightning, she slid out of her blankets and ran through the tight corridor that brought to her sister's bedroom.

"Dallas! _Wake up, wake up, wake up!_ " she chanted as she called her, perfectly remembering one of the lines from _Frozen_ , a recent movie with which she driven her parents up the wall, managing to watch it a staggering twenty times in a single week. It was incredible, and yet she had memorized every line and song from the movie. _Literally._ She had given solid proof of that more than once, even when her older sister had once told her she had a crush on Aiden, a boy from her school.

" _You can't marry a man you just met,"_ she had answered, giving a spot on impression of the queen of ice from that movie she loved so much. Really good and mostly sung, of course, but not better than _Elf,_ another Christmas movie she considered her favorite one. She didn't say it, but deep down she hoped it would come on soon, maybe even that night. Just like _Frozen_ , she had watched it more than once, though surely not twenty, and she laughed at the sole thought of reliving that forgetful elf's adventures.

"I don't want to marry him! I like him, and that's it, Demi. That's different. You'll understand when you're older."

That was her sister's answer, which ended up bothering the little one because she had been told she would have grasped many things when she grew up.

Still lost in her own dream land, Dallas tossed and turned in her sheets, ignoring her and mumbling senselessly.

"Mmm ... W-What? Dems, what is it? It's like six in the morning! What's up with you?" she asked her, tired and annoyed about having been woken up at that hour.

"You're wrong! It's nine and it's a good day. Now, come on! It's mommy and Eddie's turn!" the little one insisted, correcting her sister and demanding she got up as she took the blankets off of her.

Though bored, Dallas chose to comply, and once out of bed, she slowly walked towards the mirror. She knew her little sister like the back of her hand, and she was sure she would have soon dragged her into one of her usual shenanigans. If that really happened, she would have been okay with it, but not with her hair in such a mess. Saying so meant exaggerating, but checking herself out, the young girl felt like a bird must have chosen her hair as a nest the previous night. As sure as she was about the unlikelihood of the whole thing, she laughed at the mere thought of it, then brushed her hair while shooting a look at little Demi, who had just sat on the bed.

"Are you done? Take any longer, and mom and Eddie will be up on their own!" she kept saying, with a typical child's impatience.

"Demi, will you stop moaning about it? It will take a minute, and both mom and Eddie will still be in bed, I promise," the other reassured her, without looking away and busying herself with a rather stubborn knot.

"Really?" was the little girl's second question, doubtful like many others.

"Really," her sister echoed, giving a faint smile and two final brush strokes.

When she was done, she put her hairbrush back into the nightstand by her bed, and with just one spin, realized how well her pajamas fit her. She had got it as a gift the year before.

"Rudy!" said the little one, immediately recognizing the reindeer's red nose.

That was exactly why she liked it so much: the bright red nose, similar to one of the strings of light hung upon the tree they had "planted" in the living room, it always made her laugh.

"Yes, that's Rudolph. I'm ready now, do you want to go?" Dallas answered promptly, shifting her gaze from little Demi's face to the room's still closed door.

Sliding into silence, the little girl nodded, and while dragged her bare feet on the floor, she promised herself to make the least noise. The one she was planning was a joke already put together a couple of years back, when Patrick was still with them, which had shamefully ruined the rest of that day. Anything but happy to see them, and quite probably still hungover, he had thrown them out of the room in front of Dianna's eyes, and even though he managed to keep his cool throughout the rest of the day and night in the presence of all the other relatives, mother and daughters could still feel and breathe the tension in the air, so high it could have been cut with a knife. It was hard for the girls to admit it, but they still remembered the screaming, the broken plates and the fights between their parents. Dallas even recalled the day when that monster, because calling him a beast meant offending the real ones, had banged a door with enough force to make the windows' glass shake and the result, or intent, who knew, of breaking one of the fingers off of his wife's hands. Dianna had verbally fought and defended herself up until the umpteenth, rageful man's demise, way too consumed by the drugs in his veins to listen to her any longer. It was Patrick who called an ambulance. He said it had been an accident. The doctors had tried to help, but it was already too late for one of the phalanxes. Dianna was too scared to tell the truth, just as it happens among victims of domestic violence, and two months later she found out she was pregnant with Demi. The little one had figured everything out while eavesdropping on a conversation between Dallas and her mother.

"Don't tell her I know!" the little one cried, bursting into tears just seconds after.

Obviously, the oldest one couldn't keep quiet. With those memories in mind, both sisters either cried or started sweating, but not then. It still happened, of course, but at least that Christmas, they didn't want to think about it. So, as ready as they had ever been, the two of them left the room, tiptoeing towards their parents' room. Once there, they didn't bother to knock and the half-closed door felt like an invite, so they quietly slid in, only to jump on the bed of the ones they loved the most.

 

 

 

"It's Christmas! It's Christmas! Wake up, it's Christmas!" Demi screamed, shaking her mother awake with joyful astonishment, still unable to believe what she saw and heard around her.

The snow, the Christmas wishes the news forecast sent the whole world, the carols echoing around the city streets, her own house finely decorated with wreaths and other ornaments, everything was perfect. Surprised, Dianna jolted awake, laughing as she found her daughter in her bed sheets.

"Demi, honey! Good morning!" she greeted her, struggling to sit on the bed and coughing as she risked choking on her own saliva. "He came in the end, see?" she then continued, happy to see the little girl so happy and full of life.

She couldn't believe it: Demi, her daughter, the little girl she herself had given birth to, just five years of age and a heart probably bigger than her puny body. Like any other mother she still remembered the day she was born, and with that thought in mind she got out of bed, careful enough not to wake her fiancé, who had barely moved even through that whole ordeal. Ever since they got together, Dianna had been nothing but happy and grateful about finally having saved herself from her toxic previous relationship, leaving that hell behind her. According to the divorce papers, Patrick could still see his daughters, but not as often as he wanted to.

 _Better_ their mother always thought, sure that never in her life would she have given him full custody of them.

The mere thought of it hurt her heart, but what would have happened if she really did that? Would he had beaten them? Mutilated them like he did with her? Convinced them to fall in his same downward spiral by making them believe the pills he probably took were nothing but candies? No, she didn't want to think about it, not that day. So, she shook her head, and putting on her robe and slippers, as the little ones followed her, she got to the kitchen. Walking towards the stove, she heated up a coffee cup for herself and two milk ones for the girls, and soon enough pancakes. While cooking, she made sure to make them into reindeers, though only managing to replicate those animals' faces. As soon as they were ready, Dianna placed them on the table, and later on, Eddie joined them as well.

"Already hard at work on Christmas Day, huh? Will this lady ever rest?" he asked her inching closer and wrapping her in a gentle hug.

He actually wanted to kiss her, but stopped when he saw the little ones.

"Eddie!" she replied, blushing and placing her hands on her cheeks in mock surprise.

"What? That's only the truth. You work too much, even for such a small family" her partner told her, smiling as he took her hand.

Eating her breakfast without a word, Dallas almost didn't notice the happy couple behind her, but unlike her, Demi put her fork down and stopped to observe them, almost adoringly. Maybe it was weird, and she knew, but she felt like there was no shame in wishing to find love like her mother did, being lucky enough to meet someone truly capable of loving her. She didn't want an ogre like her father, she wanted a prince. Feeling rather observed, the adults stepped away from each other and finally, after breakfast, the long awaited moment. Like every year, Eddie and Dianna had decided to participate to the Christmas Mass that would have taken place in the church not too far from home.

"Girls, today isn't just Christmas, you know?” the mother told her daughters, trying to make that announcement in the calmest way possible.

The Mass was important for both her and her partner, but she didn't want her children to see it as a chore, or worse, a compulsion. Dallas already knew the real meaning of Christmas, but a little repetition wouldn't have hurt her.

"Really? Then what day is it?" Demi asked.

This time, Eddie did the talking, promptly taking his girlfriend's place.

"It's a special day, sweetie. Today, us Christians celebrate the man who made us who we are. He was brave, and He sacrificed himself for all of us.”

"Jesus Christ?" the little girl tried, though anxious about being wrong.

"Yes, that's it. Now go get dressed, we'll get there in a minute" Eddie replied, smiling as he tried to reassure her and bring her even closer to the faith.

Demi nodded quietly and put her plate in the sink like a little housewife would, then turned on the tap and washed it, only to spare her mother that burden.

"Done!" she announced, serious and proud of herself. "I'll be going now" she then said, turning on her heels and walking towards her room. "Can you help me, Dallas?"

"Of course, Dems! You'll be beautiful at church today, I promise" her sister quickly said, choosing to follow her and reaching her with just a couple steps.

"Such great kids" Eddie said softly, as he motionlessly watched them skip away.

"Almost as much as you" Dianna quickly retorted, helped by the fine hearing time never took from her.

"Almost?" her partner then asked, feigning surprise.

"Yes, I said _almost_. They both have to take it after someone, don't they?" the woman countered, only to give him one of her usual smiles.

One of the sweet ones, rare only years before and way more frequent ever since the day she found in that man's love a more than valid reason to smile.

"Dianna De La Garza, as sweet as ever, I see" Eddie subtly observed, giving her a smile and quickly exchanging it with a wink.

"Don't deny it, I know you love that" was the woman's only response, who unknowingly ended up blushing.

"Oh, of course" the man quietly whispered.

With that said, he drew closer and gave her the kiss he had been longing for. Taken aback by that gesture, Dianna almost gasped for breath but in the spur of the moment, she got back to her usual self, enjoying every second of that sweet contact. That kiss didn't last long, less than a minute, in fact, but she didn't seem to mind. Breaking away from her beloved's hug she got back to her room to get dressed, closely followed by Eddie. Once ready, the two of them rushed back downstairs, waiting for their children. Anyway, and despite every thought she had floating in her head, Dianna was able to hear Dallas make that promise to her sister, which was now turning out to be counterproductive. Sure, her kids would have looked beautiful on such a special occasion, but what was taking them so long? Frustrated, the woman took a deep breath to calm down, finding comfort in Eddie's presence beside her.

"Aren’t they ready yet?" he asked her, in disbelief.

"It doesn't look like it, and we're almost late" she answered, starting a fight against her coat's zipper, stubborn and unable to close up like she wanted.

"Damn it!" she snorted, almost cutting her finger.

"Here, I'll take care of it" Eddie offered, as sweet as always.

He was quiet about it, but he hated to see the woman he loved so nervous, especially because of stupid things like that, which of course added on to all the other problems, problems that in her head only had one name: Patrick.

"Thank you" she said, giving herself a break and accepting his help.

A little while later, and after a long wait that seemed endless to both of the adults, the girls walked into the room, magnificent in the outfits they had carefully chosen. So small and fragile, Demi was cuteness made person, with that light and warm dress she had on, bought for her by her mother and capable of making her look like a dancer. To most, matching that pink dress with the black coat she was wearing would have been weird, but not to her, never. On the contrary, Dallas had chosen to wear nothing but white, as if to respect rules she already knew, including the Lord's will. With just one spin she calmly showed herself to the adults, then walked towards her mother to whisper in her ear.

"Sorry, mom. She insisted, so ..."

She let her gaze fall upon her little sister, completely oblivious and busy with hundreds of pirouettes all around the living room.

"Don't be. She's beatiful" Dianna answered, finding no reason to forgive her daughter for something she had not done.

Sure, Demi had chosen to dress up like that, but since when was fashion a crime?

"Alright, little dancer, let's go. I'll take you to Juilliard later, okay?"

Ignoring the adults, the little girl just kept dancing but Eddie's voice was enough to bring her back to reality.

"What?" she asked, still reeling while the whole world seemed to spin around her.

"Nothing princess, let's go."

Without a word Demi trotted alongside him to the car, and getting on, the four of them left. The journey wasn't that long, but if Dallas spent its whole duration listening to music with her headphones stuck in her ears, Demi chose to look through the car window, searching for different shapes in every cloud.

"Dallas, look! Cotton candy!" she exclaimed happily.

"Huh? Oh, yes, whatever you say, Dem" the other one hastily replied, only attentive to the songs she was listening to.

They got there a few minutes later. As soon as they walked into that place, little Demi was astounded by the silence that reigned inside. It wasn't like she had never been there, but despite that, it just amazed her every time. As oblivious as she was, she always thought adults exaggerated when they said you could literally hear a hatpin fall because of the quietness, but as soon as she started walking next to her sister, not hearing anything but the sound and echo of her footsteps, she was finally convinced. A little while later they all found somewhere to sit, not too near nor far away, at just the right distance to listen to the function.

 _Function. What a weird name for a celebration!_ Demi thought, as she sat next to her mother, who was now keeping her head down and her hand cupped together.

She couldn't hear her, but every once in a while she saw her mouth move. She was praying. Demetria knew the Lord's prayer and the Hail Mary, but she was still learning all the others. It was weird, or so she thought. She would have minded not to say so out loud, but what was the use of travelling by car to go do something both her and her mother did every night before going to sleep? As a matter of fact, and according to what she had heard in kindergarten first and from Eddie later, God was everywhere, but if that was true, why did they have to leave their house every Sunday? She didn't know, or at least she didn't understand that, and it seemed that she was destined to be in the dark about it. Just like that, the little girl got lost in her thoughts, and a short time later, the function started. One after the other, songs and prayers followed, some done while standing up, others while sitting down. She tried to follow along with the ones she knew, then switched to listening without losing herself again. However, there was one other thing she had difficulty wrapping her little head around. Why did they have to stand and sit on command? What were they, dogs? And most importantly, what was she suppoesed to do if her legs ever hurt? Be the only little girl who sat down without joining the others in prayer? Full of doubts, the little one shook her head a couple of times, and after what seemed like an eternity, the Mass was over. It was boring, and she caught herself dangling her legs around more than once, earning a handful of looks from some other women sitting next to her family, who continuously shot daggers at her. In all honesty, Demi expected them to be a little more considerate about her rights as a child, among which the one to boredom was actually featured, but much to her dismay, such wasn't reality.

"I know you don't like that and you don't understand how important it is," her mom told her, "but you shouldn't behave like that in God's house, it's not nice. Next Sunday, when we come back, I'll tell you what to do." Only wanting to be a good girl and not dissappoint anyone, the little one nodded.

"Sorry" she whispered, head down.

"That's okay, honey."

On her way home, the little girl felt ashamed for what she had done, so much so that she spent the whole car ride with her hands joined together, as if to partially take away the blame. The road quietly slipped away, and with every passing minute, Demi's happiness only grew. In that morning's frenzy, she had forgotten to check her tower of cookies, and now that she could finally do it, she really hoped to see them in crumbles. Both cookies and milk were just part of a tradition, but if they were gone, that meant Santa Claus had paid them a visit while they slept, and of course, brought them presents. As every kid her age would have done, she had asked for toys, and she had been nice that year. With that thought in mind, she prepared to get out of the car, and as soon as it stopped, she bolted out, running inside the house. Exstatic, she rushed to the kitchen, her mouth agape after what she saw: crumbles. Just crumbles. The cookies weren't there anymore. In complete disbelief, she ran away, and right under the Christmas tree in the living room, all of her presents. Boxes over boxes, all colorful and neatly piled up, each with a little tag dangling from them, bearing the name of the recipient. Crouching, she tried to sneak a look at them, but Dallas promptly stopped her.

"Demi, don't! They'll disappear!" she screamed, frightening her.

"What? No! They're mine!" the other replied, losing control over her emotions and paying no mind to her tone.

"Ours, baby, ours" Eddie gently corrected, appearing behind the girls' shoulders and placing a hand on Demi's.

"Yes, sorry" the little one said, her head hanging low in shame.

"No, that's fine" Eddie quietly replied, giving her a smile and hugging her.

The little girl giggled happily.

"Can you help me with the table?" Dianna asked.

The girls placed a cloth on it, then she took care of the rest. About an hour later, someone knocked on the door.

"Joyce!" Dianna exclaimed, smiling as she opened up.

The other, with a huge pot in her hands, didn't, but returned that smile.

"Merry Christmas! I brought turkey, as for tradition."

"Great, I made lasagna. I'll heat it up, then we'll start.”

"I've got pudding" Andrew said as he walked in, followed by his father and sister.

"And we've got mince pies" Demi added.

"Hey, dearie!" her friend greeted her, placing it on the table to hug her.

Frank and Eddie exchanged Christmas wishes, then shook hands.

"How are you, buddy?" one of them asked.

"I'm not complaining. We _are_ having our usual chess match, right?"

"You bet!"

Everyone exchanged greetings and Christmas wishes, including Demi and Carlie, who chose to start playing on the living room carpet. Demetria showed all her dolls to the other little girl, forgetting about how she had already done it countless times.

"I got a new one this morning!" squealed the other, who, unlike her brother had blue eyes, so clear that Demi felt awestruck every time she looked at her.

"Really? My parents didn't let me open my presents, though!" the little one complained.

"Daddy said that Santa brought others for me, and they're all here, so I guess you'll find yours too."

"Dinner time!" Dianna called out, and even though the little girls resisted to some degree, their hunger surpassed their wish to play.

There was plenty of time to do it, anyway.

Demi sat next to Andrew, and immediately reached for his hand. She held it tight under the table, so that no one could see.

"Are you okay?" the little boy asked her, worried.

She had only squeezed him like that a few days after Patrick left. He had come to visit, and Dianna had told him they fought and broke up, without getting into details. After all, Andrew was just nine years old, and she felt it was better if his parents talked to him about that whole ordeal when he got a little older. Dallas hadn't told him anything, and Demi, well, she wasn't ready to talk about it yet. In spite of it all, he had seen fear and tears in her eyes, but also remembered good times spent with his friend and Patrick himself, so he thought it couldn't have been something so serious and drastic.

"Yes, I'm fine."

Demi's soft voice brought him back to reality.

"What's wrong, then?"

He wrapped his arm around her.

"I'm just scared he'll ruin Christmas, and I _don't want that!”_ she admitted, raising her voice at the end of that phrase.

"What's wrong, guys?” Dianna asked as she placed two plates of lasagna in front of them.

Andrew didn't know what to do. Should he have told her the truth or lied and said everything was fine? He feared Demi could get angry, and he was at a loss.

"I'm scared he'll come back and ruin Christmas" the little one said, with her insides literally tied together.

Dallas was sitting nearby, and as soon as she heard her, she froze up on the spot. She suddenly felt like rushing to the bathroom to throw up, but she didn't flinch. She would have never been able to move.

Dianna let her arms slump on her body as she felt her breath stop, then spoke.

"That's not going to happen, I promise."

"How do you know that?"

Yes, how? She wanted to tell her that her father was somewhere out there, too busy getting drunk or high, but despite that, she knew her daughters still loved him, and didn't want to ruin the image they had of him.

"I know because dad loves you both" she said, looking at the two of them, including Dallas.

"Yes, sure" she whispered, trying to hold back a few tears.

Luckily, Demi didn't notice that, but Dianna did.

"I can see how hard it is to believe that, seeing as how he behaved around you," she went on, "but he wasn't himself when he did those things, he was sick. He's better now, and he would never ruin a party.”

 _I hope he's not that much of a jerk_ the woman thought. A _nd that he's really not himself right now._

“He ruined my fourth birthday, though" Demi cared to underline.

"Yes, he was a real ... God, I'm so mad!" Dallas screamed, unable to contain herself.

She had learned to substitute pain with rage to avoid letting it all go, to avoid suffering too much. She never had rage fits, but sometimes slammed her fists and screamed when talking about Patrick. Anyway, she always tried to keep her cool when Demi was around.

After all that, everyone was just looking at Dianna and her daughters, they weren't eating, only waiting for that tension to leave. Eddie wanted to intervene, say it wasn't time to let their blood go sour, but saying so while considering what they were going through would have just been horrible. All he did was get up and place a hand on Dallas's shoulder, while Andrew just kept squeezing Demi's hand and Joyce hugged Dianna.

"He took me out to get a present and then got straight back home," Demi continued, "as if a gift could substitute his love and the time he spent with me.”

Those things could have sounded weird for a little girl her age, but because of what she had gone through, Demi had matured rather quickly. Anyway, every time her parents heard her, they were always stunned, because she sounded so much like an adult. No one knew how to get over that moment.

"It's okay, Dallas, I'm over here" Eddie whispered to her.

Joyce consoled Dianna in a similar fashion, as Carlie squeezed her father's hand without knowing what was going on. Meanwhile, Andrew hugged Demi tight, sure that she didn't need words, since love and affection could do a lot more. The little girl knew there was only one thing left to do, and she hoped give everyone a hand. She untangled herself from her friend's hug with a perplex look on his face and started singing.

" _Hark! the herald angels sing,_

_"Glory to the new born King,_

_peace on Earth, and mercy mild,_

_God and sinners reconciled!"_

_Joyful, all ye nations rise,_

_Join the triumph of the skies;_

_With th' angelic host proclaim,_

_"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"_

_Hark! the herald angels sing,_

_"Glory to the new born King!"_ "

Her little voice was soft and sweet, but not so much it wasn't audible. It bewitched everyone, hypnotizing them. It was beautiful, and both Andrew and the adults got emotional. There was even a round of applause Demi didn't expect. Despite that, she didn't blush, not sit down. She stood right where she was, focused on her little audience, perfectly at ease.

"You'll be a singer one day, I can feel it" Frank said, hugging her. "You were great!"

The little girl got compliments from everyone in the room, then proposed to keep singing and finish it, so they did, even Carlie, who stumbled on her words and got lost after the first part. That song, and maybe even Demetria's voice, let all that tension melt away like snow in the sun, and that big family could finally have their Christmas lunch in peace. The stuffed turkey and the puree were Demi's favorites, but the lasagna was good too. That year, they also ate typical desserts: pudding and mince pies, made with dried fruits, raisins and much more. Dianna had skipped on the liquor, though, since kids were involved.

"You know," Eddie said, "they say even Santa can't resist such a good dessert."

"The cookies I left him are better!" Demi exclaimed.

"No, mine are!" Carlie promptly retorted.

"They're both good, okay?" Andrew jumped in, to keep the little girls from fighting.

"How can you say that? You didn't try them!" his little sister complained, mad about her brother not defending her in that instance.

It was true, Andrew had not tried any kind of cookies, but avoiding a fight was way more important. He had known his little friend Demi for what seemed like forever, and being perfectly aware of her having an absent father, to say the least, he feared that any kind of argument would have caused her even more pain. A noble thought for a boy his age, and a decision in front of which his mother Joyce couldn't help but smile. Together, the three of them played nicely.

"Do you want to go outside?" Dallas, who had joined them, proposed.

"Yes!” they said in chorus, but not before asking their parents permission to leave the house.

Of course, the adults agreed, and reminded their kids to bundle up because of the cold air that howled and blew through the neighbourhood. Eddie and Frank helped their little daughters put on their coats and wool hats.

"I can do it on my own!" Demi protested.

It was true, but the same went for her always wanting to act like a grown-up.

"Oh, I'm sorry" Eddie told her, only to smile after the little girl failed at zipping herself up.

Once outside, the four children ran around the garden, chasing each other, screaming and laughing their heads off. It was nice to finally have fun without any thoughts or worries on their minds, savoring the taste of freedom. That was a difficult word, and Carlie didn't think of it because she was too young to understand, but Andrew and Dallas did, while Demi, well, she thought it was wonderful to be able to really laugh for once, almost liberating. She never did that when her father turned into a monster, and if she did, it was just a facade she put on to make Dallas and mom happy. Now, though, that was all over.

"Can we play hide and seek? Huh? Can we? Can we? Come on! Let's play!" Carlie kept asking, repeating herself a million times while still running.

"Listen," Dallas proposed, "why don't _we_ start? I'll count, and you'll go hide. Demi and Andrew will join us in a while. Right, guys?”

"Yes!" the two of them confirmed.

Demi's sister understood her friends needed a little space, without adults or other people around. They didn't consider them dead weight, never, but they still felt like they needed time alone, just the two of them. Andrew glanced at Dallas as if to thank her, then the girl told the little one to go play somewhere else and hide while she counted in a low voice. Once alone, Demetria and the boy stared at each other for a long time without saying a word. It was hard to find something to talk about, since they saw each other almost daily.

"I'm happy to be your friend" he started.

Actually, he wanted to find something more articulate to say, but he was afraid she wouldn't understand.

"As am I. You're my best friend, Andrew."

"And you're mine."

They had never told each other that. Not out loud, at least. What they felt straight after was hard to explain. A sensation of joy and lightness spaced out in their chests, radiating through every fiber of their beings. Demi touched Andrew's heart, and he did the same, as if to tell her, through that gesture, that he was always going to be there for her. The wind was blowing, and despite wearing her coat, the little girl started shaking.

"I'm fine" she said, anticipating her friend who wanted to ask if she was cold. "I'm just ... happy." Sometimes, saying that was hard because of her past, but now it was true. Andrew didn't know if asking that question was okay, he didn't want to see her suffer, but in the end he talked without his brain actually wanting to.

"Are you still afraid? Like earlier?"

"No. Not if you're here." the little girl answered. Even if her friend didn't know everything she had gone through, she had always been honest with him, and he loved that about her. "I love you, Andrew!" she finished, with her voice subtly cracking under all those emotions.

"I love you too."

Not knowing what else to say, the two of them just hugged each other, tighter than ever before. It was nice to do that, Demi thought. In Andrew's arms, she always felt protected and secure, as if they were her own second home.

A little while later, they joined Carlie and Dallas, and kept playing.

Once they got back inside the house, the most awaited moment arrived. Like the good kids they were, they had cleaned their plates, so opening their presents was a sort of reward for them. As happy as she had ever been, Demi almost fell down stumbling on the carpet, but luckily, Andrew was there to support her.

"Slow down, superstar. Those presents aren't going anywhere" he told her, laughing as he tried to reassure her.

"Dallas says otherwise" she quickly replied, with her sister's words still burned in the back of her mind.

"Nah, she was probably joking, like always" Carlie theorized, as cute as a button.

"There, see? Now calm down, we'll open them one by one, okay?" Dianna suggested, smiling as she saw the presents neatly piled up under the tree.

As a result, Demi nodded, picked one up and brought it to Eddie. Surprised, he didn't know what to say, and incapable of suppressing a smile, he melted like snow in the sun in front of his little girl.

"What are you waiting for? It's from me, come on!" his girlfriend encouraged him, seeming rather impatient.

"Okay, okay!" the man swiftly replied, carefully untying the bow before ripping the paper off of it. While doing so, he noticed that box concealed another, inside which were new pajamas. Warm, comfy and grey, it sported a checkered fantasy, and even if she knew that color was a common symbol for sadness, Dianna had chosen that thinking it would have been perfect for such a rigid and cold winter weather. Careful, Eddie just looked at it without taking it out of its box, then searched for his girlfriend's hand only to kiss it like a true gentleman.  "Thank you honey, that's beautiful" he told her, then hugged her.

Letting it all happen, Dianna felt close to blushing, this time in front of everyone, but lucky for her, that didn't happen.

"Didn't you get her anything?" Dallas asked, breaking the silence and quiet between the two lovebirds.

"What? Of course I did! Demi, baby, could you get me that one over there, in the star wrapping paper?" the man promptly answered, sure to have chosen the perfect gift.

"Sure!” the little girl squealed, feeling happy for her mother. "There it is!" she then said, passing it with grace.

"It's not much Di, but ... I hope you like it" Eddie admitted, looking her in the eye and failing to hide a smidge of shame.

He knew he had always been romantic and sweet towards her, with that being the only reason behind his sudden shyness.

"I'll be the judge of that if you don't mind, honey."<

When she opened her present, slowly, like she always did, she couldn't believe her eyes. It really seemed like her partner had read her mind, and even if that present wasn't much at all, just a new pink night gown, she appreciated the gesture, smiled and tried not to cry, holding back a single tear that threatened to run down her cheek.

"What are you doing, mommy? Are you crying?" little Demi asked, worried.

"Yes, love. But ... they're happy tears, don't worry" she explained, with her voice broken by her emotions, finally different from the sadness that used to dig deep in her soul.

Convinced by those words, the little girl said nothing else, but as she drew closer, she noticed her mother's package wasn't completely empty.

"There's something else here!" she exclaimed, holding up the other present, still neatly wrapped up.

"Really? Show me, Demi!" Dallas tried to say, butting in.

"No, it's mommy's!" she protested, defending her.

"She's right, Dallas. Come on Demi, give it to me and I'll open it."

Obeying, the little girl complied, and as soon as she opened, the woman felt out of breath. Almost istantly, her heart skipped a beat, and with shaking hands the woman looked at that gift with love in her eyes, clutching it to her chest. The kids couldn't see it, but it was a picture frame, and the photograph inside it was special to Dianna. A simple picture that showed her, her partner and her two children, all together and smiling in spite of the rain that had taken them by surprise. Among them, she and Eddie were the only ones holding an umbrella, while the little girls held hands. Unable to do so, that had asked a bystander to immortalize that moment for them with one of their cellphones, and once printed, that piece of their life had found its place inside that silver frame.

"Eddie, I ... I don't know what to say, I ..." she stuttered as she watched him, getting emotional and feeling her eyes burn because of a sudden need to cry.

She was crying, and that was true, but for once it wasn't Patrick's fault. He was the man, no, the monster who had ruined her life, but now it was the whole contrary. It was hard to explain, but in a way, she felt like she had been born again. Yes, born again, because Eddie was a sweet, nice man, completely in love with her and her little girls, capable of helping her and being there for her in her darkest times, and she did the same for him. That was love, she thought. Speechless, Dianna was now wiping her eyes on her jumper's sleeve, incredibly happy and grateful.

"You don't have to say anything, Dianna, your presence is enough for me" her man reassured in pure romance, in the name of that feeling that had never vanished between them.

Nodding slowly, she agreed with him and in the space of a moment they hugged.

Deeply moved, Joyce and Frank shed a few tears, while the kids watched that scene unfold with a smile on their faces – even Carlie, who wasn't usually that quiet – and a few moments later, when everything went back to normal, it was time for them to open their presents. Following her friend's advice, Demi kept herself from crashing to the floor again, and kneeling down in a much gentler fashion, she went looking for his gift. He was their guest, and according to her line of reasoning and her simple logic, it was only fitting for him to do the honors.

"This one's for you, mommy and I got it together" she said, pushing the boxed present towards him.

"Demi, thank you! You shouldn't have! Tell me, what is it?"

The little boy was stunned. He generally never asked for anything, not even to his parents, but knowing that his little friend had gone through so much trouble made him happy. That morning, when he opened his presents at home, he found out he had received a jumper and a videogame. He was happy, but something told him the one he was holding would have been even more special. An old teacher had squandered his hopes about Santa's existence, but his mother was right: he shouldn't have that magic leave his heart.

"I can't! What kind of surprise would that be?" the little girl replied, giving life to a truthful statement she had been told about eons before.

"You're right!" her friend told her, smiling and looking down at the shiny red wrapping paper.

He ripped it off with a sudden movement, feeling happier than ever before, and moments later, he found out he had a book in his hands. Not just any book, but one he recognized instantly, just by looking at the cover. Red and golden in print, it showed a flash of lightning, a flock of birds and an owl carrying a letter in its beak. With eyes full of marvel, he read the title: " _Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone_ ”. The first of a whole fantasy eptalogy, a literary genre that all of his classmates loved. He had never read a line of it, but letting curiosity get the best of him, he decided to give the author and her whole series at least a shot. He slowly let his hand run down the cover, then met Demi's gaze.

"So? Do you like it? Do you?" she asked, sliding into silence while waiting to hear his opinion.

"I love it!" the little boy answered, opening his arms to hug that little girl, sweet partner in crime and adventure.

"I'm happy about that" she whispered through that hug, which suffocated her and gave her the best sensation of her life.

Later on, Dallas opened her own present too. Slowly, just like she had been taught years earlier, all in the name of not ruining the surprise for herself. Contrarily to the other boxes, all square in shape, hers was rectangular, and as curious as she was, she quickly opened it by ripping off the forest green wrapping paper. It took time, but in the end, she found out the truth. In front of her, a puzzle, which according to the writing on the box, was made up of a thousand pieces. A great pastime for a girl her age, and in all honesty, the whole family. Big and colorful, it seemed to have been made especially for that period of the year.

 _"A thousand_ pieces?" she asked, amazed. "Are you kidding me? Santa Claus really went out of his way, huh?" she then exclaimed, in total disbelief. "I must have been some kind of angel."

"More or less" her parents said, and everyone laughed.

According to the box, the completed picture revealed a snow blanketed towm square, a few kids building a snowman, a man and his loyal dog, and other citizens who walked around filling the air with Christmas carols. All of it under the watchful eye of the white moon, queen of the sky and of that whole magic season. Not that far away, as colorful and big as ever, was a Christmas tree full of lights and decorations, surrounded by tons of presents of every shape and size. Quiet, Dianna was sitting on the couch next to Eddie, shying away from everyone. Not out of boredom, not because of sadness, but rather in silent admiration. She would have never told a soul, but if she was silently studying the scene in front of her, there was one reason. Every mother wants nothing more than the best for her children, and of course, that concept was valid for her as well. To most, Christmas is just a celebration like any other, with presents being nothing but a boring chore, but not for the woman. In her eyes, all of it was a synonym of happiness, joy and union, all things she could see in the eyes of her guests and children. Joining her friends, little Carlie had unwrapped her present as well, realizing with Andrew's help that she had received a dollhouse, complete with all the accessories.

"Ooh, nice" she kept repeating, enchanted. "Mommy, look, an oven!"

"Yes, we'll make delicious tea and dinners" the woman assured her, drawing closer to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"Are you going to play too?" she asked, pointing to Andrew and her father as they nodded to make her happy, though not enthusiastically.

"So, what did you get for Christmas?" Dianna asked the other adults.

"I got a watch!" Frank squealed, proudly showing it off.

"And I got a cellphone, mine was broken." Joyce said.

"Mom? Why did you exchange presents? And why did Dianna and Eddie? And why did Andrew get one from Demi? Shouldn't Santa Claus bring them all?"

Carlie just didn't understand.

"Y-Yes" the woman stuttered, unsure. "He gives a lot of presents, but still, he lets other people exchange some. Did you get it?"

The little girl just nodded, content with that explanation that didn't convince her completely, then forgot about it and went back to play with her dollhouse. Meanwhile, Demi couldn't find her gift, and kicking the remainders of colored wrapping paper away from her, she reached her mother on the couch with her face in a mask of pure sadness.

"What's wrong, Demi?" the woman asked, confused. "Aren’t you opening your presents?"

"I'd love to, but there's none for me. I was naughty this year, right?" the little girl replied, with a sweet and angelic voice.

"What? No, baby, no! Come on, I'm sure it's tucked away with the others, I'll help you look" her mother quickly said, getting up from the couch and kneeling down beside her.

United in that hunt, both mother and daughter gave it their all, but nothing. Total void. After all, it seemed like the little one was right, and with a few tears already in her eyes she got back on the couch, pained. Noticing her, Joyce sat beside her as well, offering her a napkin and placed a hand on her knee.

"I didn't get a present" the little girl complained, hurt.

Not knowing what to say, Andrew's mother tried to console her with a hug and a few comforting phrases, and right then, her prayers were answered. Emerging from that absolute chaos, Eddie got back to the living room carrying a present way different from the others. In fact, if the others all had a square or rectangular shape, this one looked more like a little house. At first, the little girl thought she had received the same present as her friend, but it was only when she joined Andrew and Dallas that she really found out what was waiting for her.

"Be careful, okay? Gentle" Eddie warned her, placing that delicate package on the ground.

In complete silence, the little girl nodded, and ripping off the wrapping paper that sparcely covered it, she almost started screaming. The box in front of her was really a doghouse, and sleeping inside was a sweet ball of white hair. Curious, Demi slid her fingers across the little plastic door, and in response, the tiny animal woke up. Right then, the little one realized that was a puppy, and letting him walk out of his peaceful nest, she scooped him up in her arms. Literally incapable of sitting still, the puppy slinked away from that grasp, and back on the ground, he started wandering around with curiosity and maybe even a hit of fear, then started spinning around in circles looking for his tail, grabbing it and holding it in his mouth without hurting himself. While doing so, he let out an adorable bark, and melting like snow in the sun, Dallas tried to pet him. Still in disbelief, Demi looked at Eddie, then at her mother, speaking through the knot that formed in her throat.

"You mean ... he's mine?" she asked, incredibly close to crying.

"Yes, star. He's your puppy" her mother answered, hugging her tight.

"So, what's his name?" Eddie himself tried, curious.

Undecided, the little girl thought about it for a moment, and in a minute she had her answer.

"Buddy" she said, convinced.

"I like it, great choice, Dems" Dallas commented, as happy as her or even more.

Joining their friends, both Andrew and Carlie showed their agreement. As the evening drew closer, playing with that puppy became every guest's mission, starting from Demi herself. She had a tender heart and a tendency to cry happy tears at the sight of any cute animal, and what could she do about it? Nothing, that's what. Not that far away from her daughter, Dianna joined in on the fun, even though she only stuck to petting that sweet, white little furball. Then, as moments slipped by, she gave herself time to think, and in the space of a moment, a single thought appeared in her mind.

 _You won't ruin this too, not anymore_ she told herself, mentally referring to Patrick and cursing him for what he had done on her little Demi's fourth birthday.

Unreliable and constantly suspicious, he had learned to stay ahead of the game, showing himself to guest in the rare moments when alcohol and drugs didn't turn him into a horrible beast. Then, lightning fast, the second enlightenment. That was the reason why Andrew, Joyce and Frank never suspected anything. That monster had toyed with each of their minds, twisting their thoughts and leading them to believe that anything and everything that happened behind closed doors was just the result of stupid fights and terrible accidents. Disgusted by those memories, Dianna clenched her jaw and forced herself not to think about it, and focusing on the Christmas tree she had decorated, on the smiles she had given and received and on the happiness of her daughters around her, she took a deep breath of relief. Distracting herself, she quickly looked at the moon, then back at the fun around the living room. It had taken years for her life to become what it was then, devoid of Patrick, and if not great, at least quieter, and now, surrounded by the love and affection of the members of her family and friends, she could really say she was happy, and the ones she had just lived through were nothing but the chronicles of a Merry Christmas.

**Author's Note:**

> credits:  
> Frozen
> 
>  
> 
> Mahalia Jackson, Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
> 
>  
> 
> Notes:  
> 1: The movies we quoted didn't come out in 1997, year in which this story is set, but my friend and I chose to put them in it because we felt they fit the topic of the story itself.  
> 2: In "Simply Complicated" it's stated that Patrick threw objects and screamed, he was really aggressive, had sudden rage fits and abused both drugs and alcohol. As far as I know, that's why Dianna left him. Demi was very young, even though in "Falling With Wings: A Mother's Story”, her age is never specified, and the articles I read show different opinions (with one of them saying she was a year and a half) so I preferred making up the fact that she was three years old, just like I wrote in other FanFictions, for example "Father". Of course, offending Patrick isn't my intention, and Demi and her family are the only ones who know the truth. I'm sure she saw her father drunk and angry because Marisa Callahan, a friend of the singer, said, always in the documentary, that the girl was a witness to those episodes. Demi also stated she doesn't want to blame her father for anything he's done, because his addictions were, at least partially, controlling his mind. A little while ago, I read an interview where Dianna said that she let the little girls see their father as long as he didn't put them in harm's way.


End file.
